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“The reviews read well when I looked this up on...”

written by blueboy214 on 09/01/2007

Good Points
Quick start up from cold. Very easy to set timer, just select the program from the guide, you can adjust the start time and end time if you like, so as not to miss any of the program, and there you are, all set. It also will record even if you're watching another program, or even if the unit is on, in other words, no need to put it into standby or timer mode, it just does the recording. Love the editing capabilities, cut out ads, unwanted bits of recordings, etc. do it a few times, and it gets easier all the time.

Bad Points
I purchased this unit in November, and up until a couple of weeks ago, I wouldn't have written anything here, . . .BUT!!. . . ... Having a bit of a problem with the remote. The lower button is not very responsive, and I have to press it very precise to make it work. Asked for a replacement from Panasonic, they insist I return this remote before they will replace it.. rather petty I think !! and not very helpful, As this would render the recorder useless without the remote for however long a replacement would take, and recently, the unit has twice frozen and displayed the error code 80 , then froze and displayed error code 81. Within a week, I contacted Panasonic, and told to contact dealer, or take it to local recommended repair depot. I would much rather have had it replaced. No other bad points though.

General Comments
The reviews read well when I looked this up on internet, I have a 42" HD Plasma, and this sounded ideal, plus having a built in freeview tuner made my mind up, that's why I bought it as an upgrade from the Liteon LVW 5045 recorder I have had for two years. Generally it's a great unit, as I said above, but I see little, if any improvement in the picture quality from the Liteon if truthful, even using the HDMI connection to my 42" Plasma, so I would say that if you are thinking of buying it for that facility, then go into a shop, and check it out first, because, I wouldn't have made the HDMI my reason for buying it. I have various dvd's a few of which are region 1, thus I needed a multi-region unit. I had to buy this unit off the web, as no store in town will sell a multi-region unit (or so I was informed by the major retailers) Now, if this error fault U80 and U81 develop, and it could well do having checked on the internet, I have the difficulty and hassle of dealing with returning it etc...